Linchpin: How to Become Indispensable? Based on Seth Godin book “Linchpin”

History: Average product for average people to reach masses.

Example:

Sliced bread had a huge success – due to the reason that it did not exist on the market before.In last 10 years average product has become ignored by average people, due to too much noise (too many advertisings, too many products)
Now: Ideas that spread.
Remarkable things that people talk about, they are impressed by.Usually the greatest things don’t need advertising; people just talk about them due to their outstanding, simple performance (Google, Zara)
After you spread the word:
Personal messages relevant to different people, threat different people differently, personal approach – allows you to go into different parts of the market.New experience to customers, a happening for people. Give something to people that makes no value to you but makes them feel special.You need to have a Permission to talk to the people; those are people who miss your attention, which are happy to use your product and therefore would gladly hear from you. Choose the type of people to whom to sell, those that are on the edge or those that are in the middle.
If you give people a chance they will take it.

What is the story?

What is my story?

What is my product story?

My enterprise story?

Do I live up to that story?

Marketing people create the market for the product. What is marketing? (quality invention, brand name etc.)Due to the internet, every one knows the reality about your product, no on can influence their opinion anymore; it comes from good or bad experience of your customers. People have to talk about you, you have to treat them different, you have to overwhelm them.
What are the identities you are talking to, how many?
The emphasis is on WHO will watch or use the product. If people give you a Permission to repeat what you did, they wait for it and therefore you lead and win.One person can change a lot, just by connecting people who think in the same way. Connect in a self sustaining circle. People want someone to lead them, by taking them where they want to go. To find a customer for a product or to find a product for the customer (new trend). Therefore industrial revolution is going to an end.

Solving a problem in a new way, in a way no one expects that. Do you want to be a genius? It’s a chance there.

If you don’t innovate you will be soon replaced. Innovative and inspiring work is needed. Become an Artist. Create something that touches, emotional labour, work without a manual, without job description.

Listen to the voice of fear inside you and do just the opposite.

Importance of Shipping (to release a product that is maybe not all the way finished, but is given to the people on the right time). Too many good ideas are delayed due to being considered not finished or not relevant. This revolution right now is in a very early stage. Shipping and making a difference. It is an opportunity to earn Permission from people.

Questions from Latvia:

About movie/music/media industry

Movie industry will die out. Example: watch a movie for free if you watch 5 minutes of advertising. Music industry is dying, but the music is growing.Average magazine for average people, but average people don’t buy magazines anymore. How to create something that people will miss. News will always be there, newspapers will die out. People are interested in information about them, about people around them, things relevant to them.

Selling and marketing:

Marketing – telling the stories about the product. Selling – getting people to spend money on these stories.Commission from sales is important, but you need to motivate people differently.When you become indispensable you win. Use the people who have given you Permission. Your work is the art, to create this idea.It is enough for 10 people to get overwhelmed by your work/idea/product because if you keep up the good job those people will spread the word (word of mouth) Emotional connection with people ( to change things for some one for better – this is art – in a way it is a hard work, you can also get hurt by that.)

Where the advertising will be in 20 years?

How to change things we do, going from mass standardized products, to small innovative, niche things and products. How to change our thinking? We can’t change the system, but we can go away from TV, to participate in new projects, meet and talk to different people, it is exhausting but important.
Green marketing. Green marketing – green has been made everything and therefore has been made meaningless. Marketing people have done that. You need to come up with really green things.

Success

To be the best in a special unique product or service, be exceptional.